The present invention is directed to backpacks of the type including a main storage compartment and a pair of carrying straps enabling the backpack to be worn over the shoulders of a user.
A traditional backpack includes a front surface which is exposed when the backpack is worn by a user, and a rear surface which faces the back of a user and is concealed when the backpack is worn over the shoulders of the user. Therefore, in a conventional backpack, only the front surface is exposed when the backpack is being worn.
The known prior art is exemplified by the following patents. U.S. Pat. No. 4,273,274 discloses a convertible handbag/backpack. U.S. Pat. No. 4,810,102 discloses a sport bag having adjustable straps for carrying the bag in three different positions. U.S. Pat. No. 5,361,951 discloses a backpack in which the interior surface thereof and the exterior surface thereof are interchangeable. U.S. Pat. No. 5,431,317 discloses a travelling bag which is convertible between a backpack, a shoulder bag and an over the head bag. U.S. Design Pat. Nos. 249,188, 249,190, and 359,847 disclose known designs for backpacks.
Additionally, the present Applicant owns U.S. Pat. No. 5,950,895 for a backpack including a storage compartment defined on the exposed front surface of the backpack when it is being worn by a user.
None of the aforementioned patents disclose a backpack having means for enabling the wearer of the backpack to selectively determine whether the front or rear surface of the backpack is the surface which is exposed when the backpack is worn by the user. In accordance with the primary objective of the present invention, a backpack includes means for permitting the user to selectively determine which of the front and rear surfaces of the backpack will be exposed when the backpack is worn by the user, and thus which of the front and rear surfaces of the backpack will be facing the back of the user and be concealed when the backpack is worn. In this manner, different designs and functional features (such as secondary storage compartments, bungi cords, and the like) on the front and rear surfaces of the backpack can be selectively exposed and concealed by the wearer. Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description in conjunction with the drawings.
The present invention is directed to a backpack including a main storage compartment having at least one carrying strap connected thereto to be worn by the user. Preferably the backpack includes a pair of carrying straps extending therefrom to be worn over both shoulders of the user. The main storage compartment of the backpack is defined by a front surface and a rear surface which are joined together by opposed sidewalls and opposed top and bottom walls to form a closed compartment. Closure means, such as zippers and snaps, permit access into the main storage compartment. One end of each carrying strap is coupled proximate to the top of the backpack, while the other end of each carrying strap is connected by conventional coupling means proximate to the bottom of the backpack so that the straps and the backpack define spaces for receiving the arms and shoulders of the wearer. When the backpack is worn on the shoulders of the wearer, the front surface of the main storage compartment faces away from the wearer""s back and is exposed, while the rear surface of the main storage compartment is adjacent to the back of the wearer and faces towards the back of the wearer and is concealed when the backpack is being worn.
In accordance with the present invention, connecting means are provided for the carrying straps of the backpack to enable the wearer to selectively reverse the orientation of the front and rear surfaces of the main storage compartment relative to the back of the wearer. In this manner, the front and rear surfaces can include different logos, designs, pictures, and functional elements (such as secondary storage compartments, bungi cords and the like), and the wearer can selectively determine which surface will be exposed and which surface will be concealed when the backpack is being worn. In the preferred embodiments of the invention, both the front and rear surfaces of the main storage compartment are padded for the comfort of the wearer.
In a first preferred embodiment of the invention, the means for reversing the orientation of the front and rear surfaces of the main storage compartment includes a connector element on the top wall of the main storage compartment having a strap bridging the front and rear surfaces of the backpack. A coupling element, as for example a loop, is mounted to the end of the carrying strap to be connected to the top of the backpack. The loop is received in the bridging element and is slideable along the bridging element between the front and rear surfaces of the backpack. In this manner, the orientation in which the carrying straps extend relative to the front and rear surfaces of the backpack can be selected by the wearer. This is accomplished by sliding the end of the carrying strap and the coupling element along the bridging element towards either the front or rear surface of the backpack, and pivoting the coupling element relative to the bridging element so that the carrying strap connected to the coupling element extends from the front or rear surface of the backpack as selected by the wearer. Suitable connecting means for the opposed end of the carrying strap are provided proximate to the bottom of the main storage compartment near both the front and rear surfaces of the main storage compartment so as to maintain the carrying strap in its selected orientation relative to the main storage compartment.
In a second preferred embodiment of the invention, a bridging element is formed from a connecting strap extending across the top wall of the main storage compartment of the backpack between the opposed sidewalls of the main storage compartment. A single connecting element is attached to the ends of a pair of carrying straps, and the connecting element is attached to the bridging element on the top wall of the storage compartment. The bridging element, which is preferably formed from an elastic material, can be flipped or rotated 180 degrees, at the selection of the user, resulting in rotation of the connecting element 180 degrees. In this manner, the direction of extension of the carrying straps relative to the front and rear surfaces of the main storage compartment is selectively reversible by flipping the connecting element and the bridging element relative to the top wall of the storage compartment so that the ends of the carrying straps attached to the connecting element extend in a direction either away from the front surface of the main storage compartment or away from the rear surface of the main storage compartment, at the selection of the user. The orientation of the carrying straps relative to the main storage compartment determines which of the front and rear surfaces thereof will be exposed when the backpack is being worn.